Through The Years
by Erilyn Rose
Summary: A collection of One Shots all about Draco and Hermione! Themes containing love, hate, romance, passion, angst, and everything in between! Come tell me what you think!
1. Steel Gray Eyes

A/N -- This is a one shot fic. I've never done one of these before, so don't judge me too harshly. I've read a lot of one shots lately, and they can be so emotionally packed that I just had to try it! So, here's the full summary... then, get to reading and reviewing!!!

Summary -- From Hermione's viewpoint. It's not diary form... really... it's more of her thoughts about a certain Draco Malfoy. No names are mentioned, but it's rather obvious who they both are.

"Steel Gray Eyes"

I love you.  
Please...  
Love me... never let me go...  
I don't know why I need you...  
I don't know why...  
You've broken my heart...  
You've broken my soul...  
My spirit... felt dead...  
Because of you...  
But for my heart to beat...  
To breathe...  
I need you to love me...  
And never let me go.

3 3 3 3 3

Steel gray eyes. Eyes that have been the bearers of hurt for the last 7 years. Eyes that haunt me in the worst of my nightmares. Eyes that harbor a secret I can see... and yet can't see.

As I sit next to the lake I can feel your eyes on me. I can feel you stare, like daggers right through me. I dare not look up. If I do I know what will be next. Insults. Pain. Heartbreak. Like every day.

For 7 years you've taunted me, you've ridiculed me, you've broken me... and yet... your eyes. Something about your steel gray eyes... I can't hate you... In fact... I think I may even love... no... I can't say it. I can't admit it. Because as soon as I look up, you'll hurt me more. But I can't help it... every time...

I look up. And you're staring back at me. I brace myself. This time, I tell myself, it won't hurt so much. You'll mock, you'll ridicule, and I'll keep my calm. My heart won't shatter. Tears will not fall.

But this time... this time you only stare. No words. No actions. No movement.

I stare back. As if something is holding our gaze on one another. No hurt. No words. And then... you merely walk away. And for some reason, a reason I don't even know... I break again. I break inside and sit, while I recover.

I feel my heart clench tightly. I feel my stomach turn. I close my eyes against the sensation.

When I open them, I stare into the water. I see my reflection, until a tear, a single silent tear, spills into it and disrupts the image.

Ripples. Everything causes ripples. Your insults. Your actions. And yes, your stares. They all cause ripples within me, that I dare not show you. Never you.

The ripples slow, and cease, and there you are again. Only this time, you're standing behind me. Your eyes are like a puzzle... a secret I yearn to unlock.

Slowly I turn and stand. You're barely a foot away. That steely gray of your eyes seems to penetrate me. It's as if you can read my every thought, and know my every move.

I don't back away. I stand and allow your scrutiny. I stand proud of who I am, despite your attempts to destroy me. Yes, you have broken me, but I always find ways to mend what you did... till the next time. A never ending cycle. Ripples.

You do not move. You do not speak. It's as if you're not even breathing...

People are around us. Some stop to glance, but say nothing and move on. The fear the outburst that presumably is soon to come.

It doesn't come.

I stare. You stare. For hours it seems, though it may have been only moments.

Your eyes... they change. For a moment, a split second, I can see inside you as well.

Your pain, your confusion, your joy. It's all right there. If you'd given me one more second to see it... maybe I would know you more... but just as it was there, it was gone. You blink, and turn to walk away.

Exhausted. I sit and stare into the water. A fish jumps out of the water, only to return moments later. The ripples expand far and wide. Just as that glimpse you gave me into you... it caused ripples.

These ripples will not leave as quickly as those in the water.

When darkness fell, I stood. Slowly I made my way into the castle.

I passed the Great Hall and saw that dinner had begun. My friends sat, laughed, talked, oblivious to my absence, but that was all right. They loved me. I loved them. I wasn't hungry.

Slowly, I walked and thought. I thought of your eyes... how they opened you up for just a moment. I thought of the change in your... for that second... and I knew... there was something more.

My yearning to want you became nearly unbearable.

I reached the library. I don't know what drove me there. Perhaps the serene quiet. Perhaps my love books. Or perhaps somehow I knew you'd be there.

You sit at my desk, the one only I ever use. And you're staring at something in your hands. I dare not move.

Instead I watch. I watch as your eyes close and your head falls slightly. I watch as a tear falls. I watch as what I saw in your steel gray eyes earlier is protrayed obviously in your actions.

The way your shoulders are hunched. Weary. The way your skin is so pale. Tired. The way your hands seem to protectively clutch whatever is in your hands.

Without motivation, I walk up to you.

You jump up quickly and look at me. Your eyes are no longer shielded. I see you. I see your pain clearly now. I look to the desk, and I see myself.

You were holding a picture of me sitting at that very desk. A picture I did not know existed. I meet your eye again.

Your jaw clenches.

"Go ahead... laugh," was all you said. I felt tears well up in my eyes. I couldn't stop them. I did the only thing I knew how to do. I fell to me knees. And I cried.

For a long time you did not move. You merely stood there. Shocked?

Slowly, you knelt in front of me. I felt something I'd never imagined I would feel.

I felt your arms carefully gather me up in them. I felt you sit back against a chair and cradle my body against yours. I felt you rock me slightly and put your head against my own. I felt you hold me...

Just like in my nightmares... only this time, I prayed you didn't let go.

After some time my tears ceased. I did not dare move. I closed my eyes and tried to memorize how it felt for you to hold me... with such... concern.

I eventually looked up at you. You were looking at me.

Your eyes. They were open again.

I saw your confusion. I saw your pain. And I saw your joy. And somehow... I knew...

This is what you want.

"Why?" I asked quietly as I stared up at you, as I was conscious of our bodies so close.

"Because I had to." You said with finality. And that was all it took.

7 years of torture were gone. My heartache was gone. And I did something I'd dreamed of doing in my nightmares... I did something that would have made my nightmares a faerie tale.

I leaned up and kissed you.

And you kissed me back.

It was not hurried... it was not deep.

It was sweet... and it was real.

You held me tighter as I closed my eyes, and words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"I love you. Please... love me... never let me go." I dared not breath.

Moments later... you answered.

"I do... and I won't..."


	2. Secrets

Disclaimer -- What's Rowling's is hers, what's mine is mine. I do not claim Harry and co, but I do claim the plot.

A/N - The second installment to Through The Years, which, as of right now only has one review. Hopefully this will change that... that, and perhaps if I change the summary... anyway... enjoy this little Draco/Hermione ficlet.

**Secrets**

"Come on Herms! You've got to tell us who he is!" Ron said with a pout as they sat in the Great Hall eating dinner one evening two weeks into the their final year. She only smirked, something that looked vaguely familiar to her friends, even though they couldn't quite place its origin.

"I'm sorry guys. All I can tell you, is that I _do_ have a boyfriend, and no Ron, it isn't Krum. He and I have discussed it, and think it would be a lot easier to just keep it secret. I'll tell you when he and I are ready to come out in the open," she said matter-of-factly.

Ginny squinted at Hermione, as if trying to read her secrets in her eyes. Harry merely shrugged, and started staring at Luna who sat at the Ravenclaw table. Ron looked extremely annoyed.

"I told you when I started dating Lavendar... and Padma... and Susan... and," he was cut off by Hermione's hand in the air ordering silence.

"I realize that Ron. And I know, we're best friends, but I _can't_ tell you just yet. I've told you as much as I can. Please... just leave it alone for now," she said calmly. She was getting rather annoyed at the daily battle she had with her friends.

She'd told them of her new relationship as soon as the year started. But she and her mystery man had also discussed it and had agreed that no one should know about them till the time seemed right.

-----

They'd been together since the summer before their seventh year started. Voldemort had been defeated just as their sixth year was drawing to a close. After he was gone, a lot of strange things happen.

For instance...

Harry's scar vanished. Ron, who'd helped Harry immensely in the final battle, finally had some self confidence. Ginny had decided to give up on Harry, and had begun dating Neville, who had also helped a lot in the battle against Voldemort. Not to mention the fact that a majority of the Slytherin's attitudes had changed greatly. Dumbledore decreed that any witch or wizard, that was underage, would be allowed to use magic, within reason, outside of school if they'd participated in the war on the Light side.

The biggest change however, and the best kept secret, was that of Hermione's secret love affair with none other than Draco Malfoy.

-----

It started just after the final battle. Hermione was lying in a bed in the makeshift hospital wing. A mediwitch had just finished attending to her cuts, bruises, and fractured leg. As she stared up at the stark white tent above her she felt slightly forlorn. She closed her eyes, and was attempting to drift off to sleep when a voice interrupted her.

"You doing okay?" she half expected to see Harry, or Ron standing beside her bed. Of course, they were busy being praised by Dumbledore and other adults from the light side. You see, Ron had distracted Voldemort while Harry dealt the killing curse on him. But let's get back to Hermione.

She opened her eyes only to see Draco Malfoy standing next to her bed. His arm was in a sling, and he had dirt all over his face, but he was smiling.

"Um, yeah. The mediwitch said my leg should be better by morning," she said slightly startled. She'd known he switched the light side, but he'd never made an attempt to be nice to her. Civil maybe, but never nice. He'd even apologized to her, Harry and Ron at one point, but he'd never been "nice".

"How about you?" she asked, attempting conversation as she sat up, careful not to disrupt her leg which was in a sling.

He pulled a nearby chair close to her and sat down.

"I'm fine. Just a strained shoulder," he answered with that same grin on his face. She didn't know why, but that grin seemed to calm her spirit. Her forlorn feeling slowly dissapated and was replaced by a sense of calm.

"That's good," she said, feeling slightly awkward.

"Yeah," he replied getting a little fidgety. "So um," he said before clearing his throat, "I was just wondering... if um... you had any plan for this weekend... to, erm, celebrate an' all?" he asked quickly. She could tell he was trying to keep his cool, and wasn't succeeding.

"No... I mean, not yet anyway," she said as her heart began to beat a little faster. She wasn't sure why, but she was getting nervous.

"Oh... well good. I mean... um... if you're not going to do anything else, would you like to go out with me? I mean, um, hang out with me and some friends... er something?" His cheeks were getting red. Before Hermione realized what she was doing, she replied.

"Sure. Um, when?" His face brightened.

"How 'bout Saturday? By then your leg should be good as new, and my arm'll be fine by then. I could come and pick you up at your house around seven... not that it's a date or anything... just trying to be nice," he said as his cheeks were colored once more. She blushed as well.

"Saturday at seven sounds great," she replied honestly. "Um, what're we gonna do? So I'll know to dress accordingly," she explained.

"Well... it's a surprise, but just dress casually I guess. Jeans are fine," he suggested before swallowing visibly.

"All right," she said. She smiled at him and he smiled back. They merely stared at one another.

"Well... um... I guess I'll see you then," he said as he stood. She nodded and grinned shyly. "Um, get better," he said before turning to leave.

"Wait!" she called after him. He stopped and turned back to look at her. "Don't you need to know where I live?" she asked with a laugh showing in her eyes. He mentally kicked himself and walked back over to her.

She grabbed her wand and said, "Accio Quill." A quill, that had just been dabbed in green ink zoomed to her hand.

"May I?" she asked, indicating his good arm. He nodded, not quite sure of what she meant. She gently too his hand, and turned it so that his palm was facing her. With ease she wrote her address there, and blew on it lightly so that it would dry. Luckily she was looking at his hand, and not his face, because as her breath tickled his skin his eyes closed in momentary bliss.

"There," she said as she examined her handy work. She looked up at him and was met with a small smile. They both looked at each other for a moment, until Hermione realized she was still holding his hand. She let it go gently, and blushed.

"I suppose I'll see you Saturday," he said attempting to recover from his very uncharacteristic nervousness.

"See you then," she said smiling broadly. He, without any thing else to do, merely turned and walked quickly from the tent.

As his fram disappeared from sight she fell heavily back on her bed.

_What was that all about?_ she questioned herself as she once again tried to fall asleep. Unfortunately, she found it was to no avail and instead she stared at the ceiling and pondered Draco Malfoy's actions.

Unbeknownst to her, Draco was feeling much the same way.

-----

"Did you do it?" Blaise asked him when he emerged from the tent looking very pale, excpet his cheeks which were bright red.

Draco only nodded and plopped in a nearby folding chair that had been left by someone else. Blaise pulled another chair closer and leaned forward.

"Drake, did you ask her?" he asked, his dark Latin eyes boring a hole into his blonde buddies head.

"Sort of," he responded shakily.

"Sort of?" Blaise asked cryptically. Draco sighed and put his head in his hands.

"Yes, sort of," he replied despondantly. "I went in, and asked her how she was. Then she asked me. Then I asked if she was doing anything this weekend. She said no. I asked her out... then freaked, and told her I meant to say to hang out with me _and some friends_," he finished exasperatedly.

"Which means..." Blaise began but Draco cut him off.

"Which means you and Panz are gonna have to come too... at least for a bit," he said as he looked up hopefully. Blaise sighed and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"We'll be there. Wait, are you picking her up? Or is she meeting you somewhere?"

"I'm picking her up at seven... at her house... where her parents live," he responded with an oddly green tint to his pale features.

"Well mate, at least you did part of it right," he said with a smirk, very unlike Draco's. He was rewarded with a slug in the arm.

"Ok," he said while rubbing his "sore" arm. "Just meet us at Razzle's around 7:30, all right?"

Draco nodded. Blaise laughed, but was cut short by a curvy blonde attacking him and knocking his chair to the ground.

Draco looked down and saw Pansy kissing his friend all over the face.

"Panz! Let up sweetie!" Blaise said while laughing. She merely sat up on his chest and scowled down at him.

"No. I was worried sick Blaise! I didn't know if you were hurt... or... or..." she said before she began to weep. Blaise's laughter immediately ceased as he sat up to wrap his arms around his girlfriend's crumpled form.

"Ssh... I'm fine. It's okay," he said softly. Her sniffles stopped soon after and she looked up at him. He kissed her lightly and together they stood. He returned his chair to its upright position and sat in it once before. Pansy sat in his lap.

"You okay Drake?" she asked when she noticed he was sitting there. He nodded, his face was still greenish. Pansy's eyes lit up. She looked to Blaise.

"He did it didn't he?" she asked excitedly. Blaise laughed and nodded.

"Sort of," he mimicked his best mate.

"Sort of?" she asked with a confused expression.

"I'll explain later. Right now, Draco here needs to get his arm fixed up so he'll be ready for his date on Saturday..."

-----

DING DONG

Draco stood nervously outside of Hermione's house at precisely seven pm on Saturday night. Truth be told, he'd been there since 6:30, practicing how he would greet her parents.

"One moment!" he heard a feminine voice echo. _The mother,_ he thought with relief.

"No sweetie, I'll get it!" a male voice replied. Draco's stomach turned.

The door opened, and there stood a man in his late 30s. He was about as tall as Draco, and a little on the plump side. The only thing about him that looked like Hermione was the eyes.

"May I help you?" the man asked pleasantly, but with a suspicious eye towards the boy standing on his front door step.

"Er... um, I'm here to see Hermione," Draco managed to say.

"And your name would be...?" the man inquired.

"Oh, uh, Draco Malfoy," he said extending his hand. The older man shook it and then stepped away from the door.

"Come in, Hermione should be down any minute. We can have a seat in the living room while we wait," he said as he gestured towards the living room.

Draco instantly replied and walked to the indicated room. He took a seat on the couch, which was positioned directly in front of a large recliner. Hermione's father took that seat and stared Draco down. Draco swallowed and willed himself to take deep breaths.

"Harold, who was it?" the same feminine voice from before called down the stairs.

"One of Hermione's friends," he called. "What did you say your name was again?" he asked.

"Draco," he managd to squeek out.

"Says his name is Draco!" Harold called again. And all was quiet

"So Draco... what are your intentions with my daughter?" the man named Harold asked Draco as he leaned forward in his chair.

"Well sir, we, along with some friends of mine, were just going to go have some dinner and maybe afterwards go and... see a movie... or the equivalent," he said unsure how to talk to a muggle about his world.

"There isn't going to be any drinking is there?" he asked sternly.

"No sir," Draco responded promptly.

"Oh daddy," Hermione said from the doorway. Draco sighed in relief before turning to see her. What he saw took his breath away.

Hermione stood there wearing blue jeans just as he'd said, but she was by no means "casual" in his eyes.

Her hair was left free, and cascaded down her back. Her top half was clad in a long sleeved black top that clung to her body. One shoulder was left bare as the clingy material fell off of it. Her jeans dressed it down just enough so that wherever they went she would fit in perfectly, and her feet were covered in a pair of square toed black boots that went up to the middle of her calf, not that he could see this with her jeans on.

Draco stood instantly and blatantly stared at her. She blushed under his scrutiny, but walked forward anyway.

"Um, hi," he said dumbly as he stared at her face. Her cheeks darkened ever so slightly.

"Hi," she responded shyly.

"Uh... oh yeah, these are for you," he said as he held out a small bouquet of wildflowers. She smiled and took them from his outstretched hand.

"Thank you," she said softly as she smelled them. Her face lit up. "I love wildflowers."

"Ahem," Harold's voice interrupted.

"Oh daddy, stop," Hermione said once more with a smile on her face. "Have you been torturing him?" she asked with one hand on her hip.

"Of course not," Harold replied with a sweet smile for his daughter. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be right back, and then we can go Draco. I'm just going to go put these in some water," she said as she exitted the room.

"No funny business young man," Harold said as he watched Draco watch his daughter leave the room.

"Of course not sir," Draco responded readily as he whipped his gaze around to face the man before him.

"Harold, don't be too hard on the boy," the feminine voice from before said from behind him. Draco turned around to see the women who was definately Hermione's mother. She looked like an older version of her, right down the curly brown hair. Even their noses were the same, the only difference was her mother's eyes were green.

"Hi," she said as she extended her hand to Draco, "My name is Rose, and I'm Hermione's mother. It's lovely to meet you." Draco took her hand and shook it lately.

"It's nice to meet you as well. I'm Draco," he said feeling a little more comfortable around her mother than her father.

"Well, I'm ready!" Hermione said as she bounced into the room holding the bouquet of wildflowers, which were now in a vase, in her hand. She sat them in the middle of the coffee table between the couch and recliner. "Ready?" she asked Draco with a smile. He nodded.

"Oh, you two have fun tonight, and be careful," her mother said with a smile.

"And _no_ funny business," he repeated to Draco. Hermione only laughed and hugged him.

"Oh daddy," she said for the third time that night. "I'll call if I'm going to be late," she promised, and without another word she took Draco by the hand and lead him out the door.

"Bye!" he said to the people behind him as he exited the house.

"Have fun!" Rose said one final time before the door shut.

When they were outside, Hermione turned to Draco. She did not, however, relinquish his hand, and he didn't try to take it back.

"Was he awful to you?" she asked with a slight panic in her eyes.

"Who? Your dad?... Nah. Just threatened my life if I laid a hand on your, or let you within a kilometer of alcohol," he joked. She rolled her eyes.

"That's daddy for you..." she said with a laugh. He smiled, and suddenly a very awkward silence fell over them. "So um... how're we getting wherever we're going?" she asked trying to break the silence. Each moment made her more aware of the fact that she was holding Draco Malfoy's hand.

"Oh! Right," he said a little embarassed. "My broom is propped up against that tree out there. I figured we'd fly to this little restaraunt we're meeting Blaise and Pansy at." She stiffened.

"Do they, um, know you're bringing me?" she questioned suddenly. He smiled.

"Yes. And no, they're not going to jump you or anything like that," he said. She relaxed and nodded. "So, if you're ready..." he said and she nodded oncce more, "then follow me," he said as he now dragged her to his broom.

"I hope you know I'm rather... er... terrified of flying," she admitted sheepishly. "I've never really gotten the hang of it."

"That's okay. Just let me get on first, and you can sit in front of me. I won't let you fall," he assured her. She nodded shakily and waited for him to mount. AFterwards, he scooted back slightly and motioned for her to get on as well. She did so, and felt one of his arms wrap themselves unsteadily around her waist. Without thinking, she scooted closer to him and sort of snuggled into his chest with her back. She heard him exhale.

"Ready?" he asked as his heart beat a million times a second.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands.

Without warning, Draco kicked off from the ground. Suddenly, Hermione knew just what to do with her hands. Her head instantly turned sideways and she snuggled it as best she could into his chest, while her hands wrapped themselves around the one hand Draco had around her waist.

She found his hand and grabbed it with her own. He gave hers a gentle squeeze, but held her a little more tightly so she would feel safe.

Their flight didn't last too long, because as the crow flies they were only a few miles from Razzle's. They landed just outside, and Draco handed his broom over wizard valet, who mounted it and flew it to a nearby storage building.

"Are you ready to go in?" he asked with a smile. She nodded, glad to have the land beneath her feet once more, but slightly missing the feel of his arm around her waist. He offered her his arm, and she smiled before taking it.

The feel of his shirt beneath her fingers startled her. She'd expected silk, but instead found cotton. He was wearing an average white button up, with jeans. She had to say, she approved.

They entered the building, and Hermione was shocked to see Blaise and Pansy standing there waiting for them. Pansy was dressed similarly to Hermione, except she wore a rather low cut vee neck red shirt, while Blaise wore a black button up and khakis.

"Drake!" Blaise said with a smile as they entered. "Thought you weren't coming," he said sternly. Draco laughed.

"Blaise, it's just now 7:20. I'm 10 minutes early!"

"Oh... right," he said with a goofy grin. Hermione just stood there feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Guys, you know Hermione right?" Draco asked when he sensed her body tense slightly besid ehis.

"Of course!" Blaise said with a smile. Hermione was taken aback. He offered her his hand. "I'm Blaise, and this is Pansy."

Hermione shook his hand, then took Pansy's offered hand as well. Pansy actually smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you... sort of," she said with quizzical look on her features as she smiled in return.

"So, have we been seated yet?" Draco asked his friend.

"Yeah, we were just waiting for you guys," Blaise said as his arm slipped around Pansy's shoulders. She shrugged them off good naturedly.

"Well, why don't you boys go and sit while Hermione and I run to the ladies room," Pansy said before kissing Blaise on the cheek. She then grabbed Hermione's hand and began dragging her away. She looked back to Draco for help, but he only shrugged and smiled.

"So, how's it going?" Blaise asked in a quiet voice. Draco grinned.

"Good... I think," he said with a goofy grin on his face as he watched Pansy drag her into the bathroom.

"Great! Now, let's go sit, I'm starved," he said with a smile. Draco patted him on the back and followed.

-----

"I'm so glad you could come tonight Hermione," Pansy said as she dabbed powder on her nose in front of the mirror.

"Really?" Hermione asked before she could stop herself. Pansy, however, looked unruffled. She replied calmly.

"Really," she said before turning to face the brunette. "Listen, I know we've never gotten along, but you have to understand it wasn't totally my fault. Just... give us a chance... give _Draco_ a chance," she said, finishing with a mischevious.

"Wha...?" Hermione began to ask but Pansy merely grabbed her by the hand once more and began dragging her back towards the ladies room door.

"Come on, we can't keep them waiting all night. They get quite testy when they're hungry," she said with a smile as they made their way to where the boys sat.

Pansy took a seat next to Blaise. Hermione was about to sit in the single remaining seat when Draco stood and pulled her chair out for her. She smiled gratefully and sat, before he returned to his seat.

Pansy saw this and punched Blaise in the arm.

"Ow!" he said as he rubbed his arm, "What was that for?" She just rolled her eyes, but stopped when he kissed her full on the lips. "Better?" he asked with a smile. She smiled in return.

"A little."

Soon there after their waiter arrived, and after that their food. The entire meal was spent eating, laughing, and talking. Hermione was amazed at how comfortable she felt around people she'd thought were her enemies for so long.

-----

After an amazing dinner, Blaise and Pansy said their goodbyes and left on his broom. Hermione and Draco were left standing outside in yet another awkward silence.

"So um... what now?" she asked, secretly hoping the evening wasn't over.

"Well, I was thinking we could go for a walk in this park nearby... that is, unless you want to go home," he added hastily. She smiled.

"A walk sounds great," she said before she shivered slightly in the breeze.

"Are you cold?" he asked with a tinge of concern.

"A little she admitted." He did something that shocked her.

"Well, I don't have a coat, but..." he said before stepping beside her and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "maybe this will help," he offered in a very unsure voice.

"It helps a lot," she assured him as she let her self snuggle into his warmth. His hand gently rubbed her sleeved arm.

"Accio Broom," he said and soon thereafter his broom zoomed into his hand. "We'll fly to the park, if that's okay," he said with a smile. He realized it was getting easier and easier to talk to her, second by second.

"That's fine," she said, sort of excited to be able to sit that close to him again.

He mounted his broom, and she followed. She instantly scooted back against him, and his arm snaked around her waist with much less hesitation than before. She sighed.

She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she knew it felt good, and it felt right. For once in her life she decided not to analyze the situation, and instead just went with it.

He kicked off the ground and for the second time that night she held onto his arm and hand, and buried her face as well as she could in his chest.

They reached the park within minutes and dismounted. He leaned his broom up against a tree and muttered a quick spell so that if you didn't know it was there, you wouldn't see it.

Draco threw caution to the wind and slowly put his arm around her shoulders for the second time that night. She didn't hesitate to lean into his quasi-emrace and take advantage of his warmth.

For a while, they merely walked. Occasionally Draco would point out something to Hermione, and she would agree, or laugh, or ask questions.

After fifteen minutes or so of walking, they arrived at the edge of a pond. Hermione gasped at the scene. The full moon shone brightly on the water, which rippled lightly in the nighttime breeze. Ducks, and even a few swans swam peacefully along the shoreline.

Draco took the initiative and led Hermione to a bench that overlooked the water. She sat down and he followed, sitting a few inches away. Hermione, moving on instinct, scooted closer to him.

He sighed and let his arms fall over her shoulders once more, with the false reason of keeping her warm.

"It's really beautiful out here," she said softly as she gazed at the water.

"I know," he said just as softly as he gazed at her. She looked over at him and saw his eyes on her. She blushed.

"Draco, may I ask you a question?" she asked as she stared into his silver eyes.

"Sure," he said nervously.

"Why did you invite me out tonight?" she asked, holding her breath as she awaited his answer.

"Well... um..." he took a deep breath. "Honestly?" he asked as he looked down at her. She nodded. "I asked you because... well... I like you," he said with an unsure look on his face.

"You... you do?" she asked, rather shocked by the statement. "But... you've always hate..."

"Please don't," he said with sadness written across his face. "I know I've not always been kind... but you have to understand that it wasn't my fault... I did it to protect you," he said.

"I don't understand," she said as she looked up at him, wishing with all her might that what he was saying was true.

"If, when we first met, I'd allowed myself to like you, even as a friend, then Voldemort would have seen it... he could sense it, when we disobeyed him, even if we weren't loyal to him... my father's blood running through my veins made that possible. So I made myself be horrid to you... so he wouldn't come looking for you. I've always liked you... as a friend at first, simply because you were brilliant, and seemed unafraid to show it... and then later, I started liking you more..."

"You liked me as more than a friend?" she asked as her heart beat sped up.

"No, I _do_ like you as more than a friend... I like you a lot Hermione," he said softly, waiting for rejection.

"Wow," she said quietly as she leaned against his arm. "Wow," she repeated before her head rested on his shoulder. He was confused.

"Wow, as in, 'Wow, this is great!'? Or, wow as in 'wow, how am I going to get out of this one?'?" he asked as he stared at her profile anxiously.

"Wow as in... wow," she replied as she leaned up to look at him. She seemed to be contemplating something as she did so.

"What?" he asked as she looked at him, but before she answered she did something very unexpected. She leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Their kiss wasn't long, or passionate, but it was a kiss. She pulled back and nodded slowly.

"Wow," he said as he stared at her in awe. She smiled.

"Wow, as in that was great? or wow as in how do I get out of this one?" she asked with a slight smirk. He smiled in return.

"Wow as in... wow... that was great," he replied. "So does this mean...?" he trailed off.

"This means that...I... I think I like you too Draco... I think I like you a lot," she said with reddened cheeks. Thankfully in the moonlight it was hard to see someone blush. Draco smiled and, without provocation, leaned in and kissed her again.

This kiss, however, was little more involved than the last. When they pulled apart a smile was on each of their faces. Hermione scooted closer to him, if that was possible, and leaned her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm a little more tightly around her shoulders. He couldn't stop smiling.

"Draco," Hermione said after a few minutes.

"Hmm?" he asked as he stared at the water.

"I don't mean to be rude, but why are we just sitting here?" He chuckled.

"You'll see..." and right after he said that, she did see.

Out of no where, fireworks started going off just above the lake. A lion made of red and gold sparks leapt across the lake, followed closely by a green and silver dragon, which flew after it. After a moment of chasing one another the lion turned around and the two collided, in a bright shower of sparks that floated harmlessly to the water below.

For the next few minutes, different animals and colors erupted above them. Draco watched as Hermione's eyes grew wide with wonder. When it was all over, she looked over at him.

"What was that?" she asked with wide eyes.

"That was my little way of saying thank you," he said with a small smile.

"For..?" she asked with wonder still reflecting in her chocolate brown orbs.

"For giving me a chance," he stated simply. She smiled.

"And what if I had shot you down?" she asked cockily, with a smirk that rivaled his own.

"Then Blaise wouldn't have set them off," he said with his own smirk. She sat up with a shocked expression on her face and stared hard at the other side of the body of water. Sure enough, she saw the hint of a red shirt, and some lightly colored pants on a seperate body. However, when they saw her sit up straighter, they dashed behind the nearest tree. Hermione laughed.

Draco's heart leapt. He'd done it. He'd finally done it. Without warning, when she turned to face him once more, he kissed her. This time, it was very in depth.

Hermione reached her arms around his neck, as their kiss deepened both physically and emotionally. His arms snuck around her waist and he pulled her closer to him, if that was humanly possible.

Minutes later they broke apart, slightly out of breath, and smiling broadly.

"I suppose I should take you home, huh?" he asked with a grin. She rolled her eyes. "Come on Hermione, I'd hate for your dad to hate me already. After all, if you'll let me, I'd like to come around quite often," he said hopefully. She smiled and spontaneously pecked him on the lips.

"I'd like that," she said quietly as she stood. He followed suit, and after they returned to his broom, the took her home. This time she held onto him, simply because she wanted to feel him next to her.

As he walked her to her door, she turned and hugged him, something he hadn't been expecting.

"Thank you," she said into his ear as she stood on her tiptoes. He smiled as her feet came in contact with the ground once more and she looked up at him.

"You're very welcome... and I hope I'm not being too forward, but... would you like to go out again tomorrow night?" he asked like a child asking for something on Christmas. She smiled, and was on her toes again.

"I'd love to," she said as she kissed him lightly. He kissed her back, but not too hard. They broke apart, and with a tiny wave goodbye Hermione entered her home.

Draco, now sure that she wasn't looking, jumped off the porch and punched his fist in the air.

"Yes!" he said quietly as he mounted his broom and took off into the night.

-----

Hermione sighed as she leaned against her door.

"I take it tonight went well?" her mother said emerging from the kitchen. Hermione smiled. "Well, come in here, I wanna hear all about it." And so they spent the next hour reliving the night through Hermione's eyes.

-----

The rest of the summer went by in a blur of kisses, dates, flowers, hugs, cuddling, and happiness. When the school year started, Hermione and Draco decided it would best to keep their relationship a secret for a while. Pansy and Blaise had agreed to not tell anyone as well, even though they were both ecstatic to see their best friend so happy.

Luckily, Hermione recieved the position of Head Girl, while Draco recieved Head Boy. They, along with that years prefects, shared a common room. Because Ron was a prefect, she and Draco couldn't cuddle in the common room, but they did find excuses to sneak away, claiming they had to do stuff for Dumbledore. "Head business," they'd say before leaving.

Now... let's get back to that dinner in the Great Hall...

----

"But Herms, you said you've been dating him all summer. You didn't tell us who it was in your letters all summer, and now you won't tell us in person!" Ron whined. Hermione merely rolled her eyes. She was saved explaining herself when Pansy came over to talk to her.

"Hermione, can we talk?" she asked as she reached the table.

"What do you want Parkinson?" Ron said in a rude tone of voice.

"Ronald Weasley! What have I told you about being a complete arse?" Hermione chided with a glare. He sighed.

"Sorry Pansy," he mumbled. He still couldn't understand how Hermione got along with Slytherins, especially Malfoy, but then again... he couldn't believe a lot of things lately.

"It's fine," she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "I just need to talk to you real quick. Can we go to your dorm?" she said with a discreet glance at Draco.

"Sure. Guys, I'll see you later..." she said as she followed Pansy out of the Great Hall.

"What is it?" she asked when they finally reached her rom.

"Oh... um, I just wanted to ask you what I should wear to Hogsmeade this weekend... you know, it being the first one this term and all," she said with big eyes. Hermione could tell something was up.

"Uh... maybe your jean skirt and yellow top?" she suggested, baffled as to why Pansy needed to talk to Hermione about this in the hallway. "Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"Um..." she said, chancing a quick look towards the the door behind Hermione, "yeah, that's it!" she said cheerily as she basically shoved Hermione out of her own room. What she saw made her jaw drop.

Down in her common room sat Draco, Harry, Ron, Blaise, and Ginny.

"What's going on?" she asked when she made it down the staires. She looked from Harry, to Ron, to Draco. All of whom were grinning like idiots.

"Well, see the thing is Herms, before term started this year, Malfoy here paid us a visit at the Burrow," Ron said staring at the blonde boy. Draco smiled back.

"You what?" she asked stared at Draco incredulously, unsure of how to act around him right then.

"Remember when I had to go on that errand for mother, and was gone for a day?" he asked looking her in the eye as he stood. She nodded. "Well, that wasn't exactly true," he stated with puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah, imagine _my_ surprise when Malfoy here shows up on my doorstep and wants to talk," Ron said indignantly.

"So, after I calmed Ron down," Ginny cut in with a win to her older brother, "Draco here came in and told us about you and him," she said matter-of-factly.

"He what?" she asked quietly, still in a state of shock.

"We weren't too happy... at first," Ron added, ignoring Hermione's nearly silent question.

"But then we started getting your letters telling us how happy you were... and so we owled Malfoy back, and... well... sort of gave him our blessing," Harry replied cornily.

"So... all this time, you've known?" she asked her friends baffled. They all grinned.

"Yep!" Ron said happily as he stuffed a croissant into his mouth that he'd smuggled from dinner.

"And you," she said as she turned her glare on Draco, "you did this without asking me?" she threatened. He had gotten to know her well enough in the past summer to know when she was seriously angry, and faking it. He just smiled broadly.

"I sure did," he said proudly.

"Why you... you... you wonderful perfect man!" she said as she closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you!" she said quietly into his ear. He smiled and hugged her back.

"Any time," he replied just as quietly. She pulled away smiling broadly.

"Oh come _on_!" Ron said as he rolled his eyes. "Just because you know we know, doesn't mean you have to go and get all sappy on us!" Hermione glared at him before smirking evilly.

Without warning she pulled Draco to her and kissed him deeply. She could feel him smile into the kiss, after he'd gotten over his initial shock.

Blaise clapped, Ginny 'awed', Harry and Ron gagged comically, and Pansy just smiled.

When the couple parted Hermione leaned her head against Draco's.

"I love you," she said quietly as she stared him in the eye. She'd never told him that before. He just smiled.

"I know," he said with a grin. "I love you too," he replied when she glared at him slightly. She only laughed.

"I know."

"Come _on_!" Ron said from the couch, before Ginny whapped him in the head with a pillow.

"Shut up Ronald," she said as she watched her best friend hug Draco. She sighed.

"Hmm, I wonder where Neville is," she said as she stood. Ron's face turned red.

"Ginevra Weasley, get back here this instant!" he yelled. Ginny only smiled, and blew him a kiss, as she left the room. Everyone laughed as Ron fumed.

"Well... this changes a lot," Hermione said as she and Draco sat on the only empty couch.

"I don't know about you," Draco said as he pulled Hermione as close to him as humanly possible, "but in my opinion, things have definately taken a change for the best."

End.

A/N - Wow that was long winded. Sorry 'bout that guys... I just couldn't help myself. I did it in one sitting too. Shew! Hope you liked it. Now go review! PRETTY PLEASE!


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